Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Kolonnawa Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Kolonnawa

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,268 per month in Lisbon vs $483 in Kolonnawa, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,348 per month in Lisbon vs $805 in Kolonnawa, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,429 per month in Lisbon vs $1,128 in Kolonnawa, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 370% more than Kolonnawa, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Lisbon sits 64% above the global median, while Kolonnawa is 65% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.55 €15.12

$4.46 LKR 1,464

293.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.5 €55.6

$25.94 LKR 8,523

148.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 €10.04

$7.51 LKR 2,468

55.13%

Cappuccino

$3.26 €2.81

$2.56 LKR 841

27.34%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 €2.15

$0.73 LKR 241

241.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 €1.44

$0.25 LKR 81.9

568.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 €2.99

$2.20 LKR 723

57.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 €3.08

$3.14 LKR 1,032

14.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 €1.02

$1.65 LKR 541

-28.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.95 €1.68

$0.56 LKR 184

248.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 €1.35

$0.59 LKR 193

164.41%

Eggs

$4.01 €3.46

$1.67 LKR 550

140.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.27 €11.44

$10.52 LKR 3,456

26.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.42 €7.26

$4.50 LKR 1,478

87.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.23 €15.72

$7.12 LKR 2,340

156.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 €2.00

$7.00 LKR 2,299

-66.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 €1.49

$0.89 LKR 291

94.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 €1.67

$4.37 LKR 1,436

-55.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.64 €2.27

$1.24 LKR 407

112.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 €1.64

$1.02 LKR 334

86.27%

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 €1.82

$0.76 LKR 251

177.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$0.88 LKR 290

63.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 €0.69

$0.44 LKR 145

81.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.01 €6.04

$10.55 LKR 3,467

-33.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.92 €5.11

$10.57 LKR 3,472

-43.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 €1.18

$1.78 LKR 586

-23.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 €1.85

$2.25 LKR 738

-4.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.38 €2.05

$0.15 LKR 50.2

1486.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.22 €39.85

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.19 €3.61

$0.42 LKR 137

897.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 €0.95

$0.36 LKR 118

205.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.26 €14.88

$0.87 LKR 287

1883.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.25 €1.94

$1.35 LKR 443

66.67%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$34.5K €29.7K

$30.0K LKR 9.9M

14.89%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$41.6K €35.9K

$41.9K LKR 13.8M

-0.75%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$171 €147

$55.0 LKR 18.1K

210.86%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$19.01 €16.38

$4.24 LKR 1,394

348.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.28 €29.55

$21.30 LKR 7,000

60.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.65 €42.80

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.51 €16.81

Cinema Ticket

$10.10 €8.71

$4.49 LKR 1,475

124.94%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$699 €603

$37.65 LKR 12.4K

1757.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.8K €15.3K

$1,231 LKR 404.6K

1343.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.2

$19.88 LKR 6,533

426.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.97 €41.35

$16.84 LKR 5,533

184.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.8

$80.0 LKR 26.3K

27.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 €111

$42.07 LKR 13.8K

204.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,661 €1,432

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,228 €1,059

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,915 €2,513

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,023 €1,744

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,129 €7,007

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,635 €3,996

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,619 €1,396

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

12.69

-70.21%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Lisbon: September 5, 2026

Last update for Kolonnawa: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $64.0 in Lisbon versus $26.00 in Kolonnawa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $281 vs $218 – making Kolonnawa the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Lisbon vs Kolonnawa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon costs about 370% more than Kolonnawa, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,402 per month in Lisbon and $724 in Kolonnawa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,268 in Lisbon and $483 in Kolonnawa. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $699 per month in Lisbon and $37.65 in Kolonnawa. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Kolonnawa, where all-in costs run around $483, than in Lisbon at $2,268. In Kolonnawa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kolonnawa costs $483 versus $2,268 in Lisbon. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Kolonnawa. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Lisbon makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.